Any records made confidential by law shall be so treated. Records that by law are required to be closed to the public shall not be deemed to be made open to the public under the provisions of this chapter. Records in the custody of The Library of Virginia that are required to be closed to the public shall be open for public access 75 years after the date of creation of the record. No provision of this chapter shall be construed to authorize or require the opening of any records ordered to be sealed by a court; however, upon a petition filed with the clerk, a judge may enter an order releasing any record sealed prior to January 1, 1901. All records deposited in the archives that are not made confidential by law shall be open to public access.
1976, c. 746; 1979, c. 110; 1990, c. 778; 1994, c. 64; 2006, c. 60; 2020, c. 773.
Structure Code of Virginia
Chapter 7 - Virginia Public Records Act
§ 42.1-76. Legislative intent; title of chapter
§ 42.1-76.1. Notice of Chapter
§ 42.1-78. Confidentiality safeguarded
§ 42.1-79. Records management function vested in the Library of Virginia
§ 42.1-82. Duties and powers of Library Board
§ 42.1-85. Records Management Program; agencies to cooperate; agencies to designate records officer
§ 42.1-86. Essential public records; security recovery copies; disaster plans
§ 42.1-86.01. Records may be retained in electronic medium
§ 42.1-86.1. Disposition of public records
§ 42.1-87. Archival public records
§ 42.1-88. Custodians to deliver all records at expiration of term; penalty for noncompliance
§ 42.1-89. Petition and court order for return of public records not in authorized possession
§ 42.1-90. Seizure of public records not in authorized possession
§ 42.1-91.1. Availability of public records created prior to January 1, 1901